Buckle



R. I. DOUGLAS.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. 1921.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921 [,VVENTOR.

A '1' ORNE Y.

BUCKLE.

Application filed March 19, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND I. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in buckles, and the primary object thereof is to provide a buckle which is formed with a front designed to expose and removably hold one, two or more letters, which may combine to form a monogram or the initials of the wearer, or to expose and hold an ornament, emblem or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for removably holding the letters or the like with relation to the buckle, thereby'to allow the dealer, who is equipped with a supply of different letters, to himself select the proper-letters, forming the initials of the purchaser, and to then easily and quickly, and without the use of any tool or the like, secure the letters to the buckle. Obviously the dealer may also have a supply of emblems or ornaments for the selection of the purchaser, and which can be applied to the buckle in the same manner described in connection with letters.

The invention further aims to provide means for attaining the above objects in a simple and inexpensive manner, and has still further objects which will be later set forth and manifested in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking member; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the letters.

Tn proceeding in accordance with the present invention a buckle is employed having a front 1 which may be equipped with any means for securing same to a belt.

The front is provided with an opening 2 which may be of any shape or size depending upon the size of the letters or emblems or the like with which the invention is to be used. The rear side of the front plate is.

equipped with grooved guides or ofiset Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Bee. 2Q, 1921.

Serial no. 453,573.

flanges v3 secured in parallelism above and below the opening 2. The letters a or ornaments, or emblems or the like are cut away on their top and bottom sides or ends to form reduced guide flanges 5, which latter engage in the grooves of the guides or tracks formed by the offset flanges 3. As depicted in Fig. 4, of the drawings, the letters or the like are thus held with their outer faces flush with the outer or front face of the buckle plate or front, and are secured in place by means of a spring locking member 8, of a substantially U-shaped form. This locking member has its arms 6, formed with enlarged parts or latch members 7, which are adapted to snap over the ends of the grooved guides 3, to thereby hold the locking member against accidental removal.

As depicted in Fig. 4:, of the drawings, the arms 6, 6, of the locking member are engaged with the rear faces of the letters 5, or the like and in the respective grooves of the guides and act to hold the letters in somewhat wedged position against the front walls of the guide grooves.

By pressing the arms together at the latch ends 7, thereof, it will be apparent that the locking member can be removed and thereafter the letters, should it be desired to do this for any reason.

By equipping the dealer with an assortment of letters, emblems, ornaments and the like which can be fitted in the grooved guides, it will be apparent that the dealer can easily and quickly apply same to the buckle after the purchaser has made his selection.

llt will also be apparent that, the letters abut the end walls 9, formed by the opening 2, to thus hold the letters against movement out of the opening. Filling pieces can be used between the letters or at the ends thereof in cases where but two letters are desired.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a buckle, a front having an opening, grooved guides on the rear of the front above and below the opening, letters, or the like having reduced ends forming guide flanges engaged in the grooves of the guides, and a U-shaped locking member having abutments at its free ends adapted to snap over the ends of the guides and formed to engage in and between the guides and to the rear of the letters to hold the latter immovable and against the outer'walls of the grooves. v y

2. In a buckle, a front having upper and lower guides, ornamentation engaged at its top and bottom with said guides, a latching member of U-shape the arms of which are resilient and formed to en age between the ornamentation and the gui es and to be held by expansion against the latter, and latching means for the member. a

3. In a buckle, a front having an opening, guides above and belowthe opening, ornamentation in the openings having parts en- 4. In a buckle, a front having upper and lower guides, ornamentation engaged at its top and bottom with said guides, a latching member having a pair of relatively exacross the ornamentation and formed and arranged to engage with and between the ornamentation and the guides and to 'be' held engaged with the guides by expansion of said parts, and latching means for. each part. v

5. In a buckle, a front having an opening, guides above and below the o ening, ornamentation in the openings having parts engaged with the guides, and a locking member having relatively expansible and contractible parts formed to engage the ornamentation and to hold said ornamentation in place in the guides and having latching means on each part to hold the member against movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RAYMOND I. DOUGLAS. Witnesses:

M. A. KINGSLEY, J. A: MILLER. I 

